Just listing some thoughts about the Bulkhead situation as per (my understanding of the existing status of the PRIME factions) by the end of TOXICITY. I'm curious to see if other folks will have more join-the-dot solutions to Bulkheads' dilemma, regardless of what the plot actually does with him in the end.

1) That the Phase-Shifter relic Bumblebee won could (maybe) be used to walk through walls on the Nemesis until the treasury is found, from where the Hammer-Relic could be stolen and used to forge dead Bulkhead into something new.

2) That there is at least one stasis field/pod in Autobot HQ which is confirmed to be operational by the story so far. This particular field/pod could be used to contain still-alive Bulkhead until a remedy is prepared to counter the creeping effects of the ToxEn in his system, but Airacchnid is currently occupying it. Tho she would have to be released quick-smart to get Bulk stabilized asap, she may wreck the pod in her escape effort (I know I would try to).

One unnrelated thought-

That Hardshell could become the 2IC of Airacchnid during any power-grab of the Insecticons by her in the future, or alternatively, he could become some kind of proud anti Airacchnidian who stands against her on behalf of Megatron. (There was a "faction-swapping a la Dinobot" hint in the interviews at the start of the season- and since Megatron is not weak in the diplomacy department in this story, I don't see why he wouldn't wield Hardshells' self image as yet another Decepticon weapon).

"Everyone has a hobby.Even people who say they don't still have one under another name.If we're sick,injured, we still go to it and get down to see how it is.If it needs something, we bring it,make sure the attention is perfect.It exercises our care and protection and gives us back philosophies.It's a living thing to us,and is the most perfect way to teach a young person how to be towards a living thing. It's something that should never be taken away." -my Wife

Motto:"Never underestimate the power of insanity-- especially when it's mine."

Weapon: High-Powered, Laser-Sighted, Photon Rifle

BeastProwl wrote:I seriously get the dinotbot vibe from Dreadwing, in stature, character, and his morals. I think if there is to be someone to switch sides, it would be him.

At first I wasn't seeing it, but now I'm getting it a bit more. The writers are definitely playing up his "honor", which, as everybody knows, was like Dinobot's middle name. The more we see of him the more we see parallels being drawn between the two warriors. They even have swords! The only reason now that I cringe at this situation is because Megatron really SUCKS at keeping SICs. Who would we see then? Hardshell? Unlikely. It's pretty clear that the other 'Cons see them more as disposable beasts than actual people. Shockwave perhaps? The rumors of him appearing this season are buzzing around like angry bees. Soundwave is out of the question as is Knock Out since they both have solid positions that can't be easily transferred to someone else. Either way, the Decepticons REALLY go through SICs fast. Seriously, they're like the Decepticon Defense Against the Dark Arts professors.

But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation, but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

Snowy wrote:But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation,

This! Bulkhead really has no other choices but to die or be rendered comatose/out of commission for a while to let this episode have impact. Any quick revival would be cheapening to how well this episode was.

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

Caelus wrote:My wife pointed out something interesting about the prehistoric Predacons. I said that everyone was complaining because transforming for them mostly consisted of them just standing up-right. She essentially said, 'So? That's what our ancestors did.'

Motto:"You don't stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing. Be Geek, be proud."

Weapon: Arc-Welders

Sabrblade wrote:

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

Well I can see where you're coming from and it might be stretching it, but maybe it doesn't go through whatever you're standing on? Possibly only through objects and walls. Maybe not even walls. We never saw what the phase shifter could do besides make a train go through Bee and Arcee's hand.

And it might have to be in another special occasion, such as when the Nemesis was downed. Of course, that was caused by Bulk who will be out of commission this time around, but who knows? Maybe Knock Out will mutiny and paralyze the ship or something.

Caelus wrote:My wife pointed out something interesting about the prehistoric Predacons. I said that everyone was complaining because transforming for them mostly consisted of them just standing up-right. She essentially said, 'So? That's what our ancestors did.'

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

Well I can see where you're coming from and it might be stretching it, but maybe it doesn't go through whatever you're standing on? Possibly only through objects and walls. Maybe not even walls. We never saw what the phase shifter could do besides make a train go through Bee and Arcee's hand.

And it might have to be in another special occasion, such as when the Nemesis was downed. Of course, that was caused by Bulk who will be out of commission this time around, but who knows? Maybe Knock Out will mutiny and paralyze the ship or something.

I don't know. I'm tired. Leave me alone :'(

I was going to mention the sinking phenomenon in the opening quote but a Phase-Shifted item/bot can be argued to be outside of the local gravitic influence, so won't sink into floors OR float off planet during a regular phase shift (-BUT a shifted item will move in the direction it was moving before the phase shift).

Furthermore if the phaseshift is a shift that happens in phases (as opposed to any number of other, subtly different enough interpretations that could incite any number of fan bases into civil war), then at least the relic can control which parts of the user phase when and to where. It stands to reason someone who used the relic for a long time in the past (SHOULD they decide to grace TFP with a visit!) can do trickier tricks with it (the equivalent of having higher 'mastery levels' with the item as far as an onlooker would be concerned- meaning Bee, Arcee & co can't use the thing to walk through walls *TODAY* 'cuz they don't get how to get the mechanism to make it happen at the moment, but some other bloke can punch right through the Apex Armor with it and tear out Starscream, or reach through a Stasis field AND the Bulkhead in that field and pluck the ToxEn out of his internals grain by stasis frozen grain, phase-splitting it in his hand back into Energon and the Tox element as he does so,for extreme but not unrealistic example).

Should any of these relics be semi/intelligent enough to effect outside forces via their own decision? Of course some should. Even the bridges in Cybertron transform along with those crossing them! So the shifter thing either detects Bee is in trouble via his 'heart rate analog' and shifts him out of phase, or else sees the train coming on its own and moves Bee out of the way. My point is that a Cybertronian, at least (if not a Human, Quintesson or whatever else) just has to 'tell' the Phase Shifter "Phase me now" in a transformable list of ways, once he has passed the learning curb and gotten the general gist of things with the relic.

Last edited by G1 Smoketreader on Wed May 30, 2012 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Everyone has a hobby.Even people who say they don't still have one under another name.If we're sick,injured, we still go to it and get down to see how it is.If it needs something, we bring it,make sure the attention is perfect.It exercises our care and protection and gives us back philosophies.It's a living thing to us,and is the most perfect way to teach a young person how to be towards a living thing. It's something that should never be taken away." -my Wife

Snowy wrote:But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation,

This! Bulkhead really has no other choices but to die or be rendered comatose/out of commission for a while to let this episode have impact. Any quick revival would be cheapening to how well this episode was.

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

If he jumps, Activates it, goes through the wall, and deactivates it, that gets rid of the hole in the idea.

Motto:"Never underestimate the power of insanity-- especially when it's mine."

Weapon: High-Powered, Laser-Sighted, Photon Rifle

BeastProwl wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Snowy wrote:But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation,

This! Bulkhead really has no other choices but to die or be rendered comatose/out of commission for a while to let this episode have impact. Any quick revival would be cheapening to how well this episode was.

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

If he jumps, Activates it, goes through the wall, and deactivates it, that gets rid of the hole in the idea.

Snowy wrote:But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation,

This! Bulkhead really has no other choices but to die or be rendered comatose/out of commission for a while to let this episode have impact. Any quick revival would be cheapening to how well this episode was.

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

If he jumps, Activates it, goes through the wall, and deactivates it, that gets rid of the hole in the idea.

Motto:"Never underestimate the power of insanity-- especially when it's mine."

Weapon: High-Powered, Laser-Sighted, Photon Rifle

BeastProwl wrote:

Snowy wrote:

BeastProwl wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Snowy wrote:But back to Bulkhead. I honestly see him dying since the last episode was so heavy on the finality of the situation,

This! Bulkhead really has no other choices but to die or be rendered comatose/out of commission for a while to let this episode have impact. Any quick revival would be cheapening to how well this episode was.

Snowy wrote:but I REALLY like the idea of using the Phase Shifter to steal back the other relics. As Jeff said, it'd be nice for these things to be more than just macguffins.

There's one hole in the idea of using the Phase shifter abroad the Nemesis. since it lets its pass through solid objects, the person wielding it would fall right through the floor of the the Nemesis and out of the ship. Plus, there's also the notion that the Autobots can barely ever find the Nemesis since it's always on the move and untraceable (save for a few rare special occasions).

If he jumps, Activates it, goes through the wall, and deactivates it, that gets rid of the hole in the idea.

Or maybe he can just run really, really fast.

you would still fall through the floor...

Sarcasm is lost on this one.

But in all seriousness, why did 'Bee not fall through the floor in the subway? It would be a major design flaw if you put one on and found yourself striking oil. From what Arcee and Megatron have said in response to the Phase Shifter, it seems to be a tool used during wartime, meaning its uses would be severely limited if you were restricted to only certain areas before you took a dirt-dive. And we don't even know what those areas are, we just know that the train went through 'Bee but 'Bee didn't go through the ground. There is currently insufficient data to make a proper analysis.

Motto:"Don't take life too seriously or you'll never get out of it alive."

Weapon: Lightning Rifle

G1 Smoketreader wrote:1) That the Phase-Shifter relic Bumblebee won could (maybe) be used to walk through walls on the Nemesis until the treasury is found, from where the Hammer-Relic could be stolen and used to forge dead Bulkhead into something new.

I see a few things wrong with this. First of all, like Sabreblade said, the Nemesis is usually on the move and cloaked, so finding it is problematic. Second, even if the 'bots found her, where would they look for the Forge? The Nemesis is a big ship, and there's got to be more than one storage bay on it. Third, while I'm sure the Forge could heal Bulkhead's injures from his fight with Hardshell, there was nothing in "Operation Bumblebee" that hinted it was a cure all. And Bulkhead was suffering from Tox-En poisoning as well as his injuries, which will no doubt cause complications in his recovery.

G1 Smoketreader wrote:2) That there is at least one stasis field/pod in Autobot HQ which is confirmed to be operational by the story so far. This particular field/pod could be used to contain still-alive Bulkhead until a remedy is prepared to counter the creeping effects of the ToxEn in his system, but Airacchnid is currently occupying it. Tho she would have to be released quick-smart to get Bulk stabilized asap, she may wreck the pod in her escape effort (I know I would try to).

This one may be a more viable option. And there were plenty of statis "cacoons" lying around the old hive. There's no reason to think the Autobots didn't recover more than the one Airachnid was trapped in.

G1 Smoketreader wrote:1) That the Phase-Shifter relic Bumblebee won could (maybe) be used to walk through walls on the Nemesis until the treasury is found, from where the Hammer-Relic could be stolen and used to forge dead Bulkhead into something new.

I see a few things wrong with this. First of all, like Sabreblade said, the Nemesis is usually on the move and cloaked, so finding it is problematic. Second, even if the 'bots found her, where would they look for the Forge? The Nemesis is a big ship, and there's got to be more than one storage bay on it. Third, while I'm sure the Forge could heal Bulkhead's injures from his fight with Hardshell, there was nothing in "Operation Bumblebee" that hinted it was a cure all. And Bulkhead was suffering from Tox-En poisoning as well as his injuries, which will no doubt cause complications in his recovery.

G1 Smoketreader wrote:2) That there is at least one stasis field/pod in Autobot HQ which is confirmed to be operational by the story so far. This particular field/pod could be used to contain still-alive Bulkhead until a remedy is prepared to counter the creeping effects of the ToxEn in his system, but Airacchnid is currently occupying it. Tho she would have to be released quick-smart to get Bulk stabilized asap, she may wreck the pod in her escape effort (I know I would try to).

This one may be a more viable option. And there were plenty of statis "cacoons" lying around the old hive. There's no reason to think the Autobots didn't recover more than the one Airachnid was trapped in.

Re: The actual location of the Nemesis- I can't speak for how the A/bots might find it so I left it unsaid- they tend to find it easily enough when the writers want them to so I don't sincerely see it as an obstacle of possibility, just of time.

Re: The cureall- I was thinking along the lines of Optimus using the Hammer to reforge Bulkheads' corpse into some type of new Autobot on the grounds that they need the numbers and desperate times call for desperate measures etc. In other 'peacetime' situations it is my assumption that reforging Bulkheads' corpse could be considered something macabre- the equivalent of an act of atrocity.

"Everyone has a hobby.Even people who say they don't still have one under another name.If we're sick,injured, we still go to it and get down to see how it is.If it needs something, we bring it,make sure the attention is perfect.It exercises our care and protection and gives us back philosophies.It's a living thing to us,and is the most perfect way to teach a young person how to be towards a living thing. It's something that should never be taken away." -my Wife

Motto:"Don't take life too seriously or you'll never get out of it alive."

Weapon: Lightning Rifle

G1 Smoketreader wrote:Re: The cureall- I was thinking along the lines of Optimus using the Hammer to reforge Bulkheads' corpse into some type of new Autobot on the grounds that they need the numbers and desperate times call for desperate measures etc. In other 'peacetime' situations it is my assumption that reforging Bulkheads' corpse could be considered something macabre- the equivalent of an act of atrocity.

Well, Wheeljack's still out there; loosing Bulkhead might be enough to bring him into the main cast. Of course, there's also the idea that Bulkhead's death leads to the introduction of a new character. They introduced Dreadwing just before killing off Breakdown, so it's possible they'd do the same on the side. We still have two confirmed voice actors whose characters have not been revealed yet. We'll see.

Caelus wrote:My wife pointed out something interesting about the prehistoric Predacons. I said that everyone was complaining because transforming for them mostly consisted of them just standing up-right. She essentially said, 'So? That's what our ancestors did.'

Since this overall plotline tends to pass-the-parcel around the cast with relic ownership and status effects (sometimes making me feel like I'm watching the charlatan storytelling & tedious viewing of a home Gym or super slimmer shoe infomercial trying to convince me how hooked I am to something I'm completely disinterested in and saw again yesterday and the day before)... another consideration is that Bulkhead could just be left on life support for a dozen episodes in order to permit airtime for new characters.

I say this because the reported upcoming introduction of Shockwave (assuming he is a Decepticon loyalist and not a rogue agent like TFP Wheeljack or Hordak-style rival like Straxus or Airacchnid), combined with Megz' cannon & Soundwaves' blaster-thing, could relieve Starscream of the Apex armor, shifting power supremacy to the Cons for as long as Bulk is down & Airacchnid is out. (Let's ignore possibilities of salvaged cultures of ToxEn from multiple locations).

In this instance, leaving bulk in extended rehabilitation could permit time for new characters (unconfirmed but theoretically viable selection of which at this time is Hot Shot, Evac, Ironhide and Kup) to be fitted in to events. All this is hypothesis of course, but mathematical possibilities are there that Bulkhead eventually survives in the long run whilst multiple new & standing imports (eg. Kup, Arcee and Hot Shot) are killed in the mid-term.

Why am I ignoring Wheeljack? Because he's repairing the Jackhammer, which he never agreed to have carted back to Autobot HQ, and would take time in non-intelligence insulting storytelling- and because his overall "Behold: It's not Wheeljack: Worship him!" plotline sucks anyway. Spending 20 episodes keeping him away to have him unconditionally join team Prime now is just more charlatan storytelling & tedious viewing, at least from my point of view. I'm therefore ASSUMING something else, a little more variable, will happen around the Bulkhead plot hook.

"Everyone has a hobby.Even people who say they don't still have one under another name.If we're sick,injured, we still go to it and get down to see how it is.If it needs something, we bring it,make sure the attention is perfect.It exercises our care and protection and gives us back philosophies.It's a living thing to us,and is the most perfect way to teach a young person how to be towards a living thing. It's something that should never be taken away." -my Wife

Another consideration regarding Wheeljack replacing Bulkhead, before I forget:

Wheeljack is anticipated to replaced Bulkhead on team: Prime (permanently) with the idea of vengeance as a motive.

Wheeljack has reported/documented/confirmed/seen/learnt about/maybe even witnessed the deaths of MANY wreckers during his RECENT travels. He hunts Deceps who kill Wreckers for vengeance and for the sake of being a Wrecker, yes- but Wheeljack does not display affection towards Bulkhead; It is Bulkhead who has displayed brotherhood, friendship and the general sense of welcome towards Wheeljack.

This is who Bulkhead is, and it can-and-cannot be argued that Bulk is more gentle a being at heart than someone like Seaspray.So the expectation that Jack will go into a killing frenzy to vindicate 'his close personal friend Bulkhead, because Bulkhead was such a good guy', as opposed to 'yet another Wrecker I knew, this time the one called Bulkhead, who was too soft for his own good' can be made invalid.

Unless Jack is commanded by Prime to look after Miko (who is an honorary Wrecker) I don't see why Wheeljack would give the death of Bulkhead any special treatment in comparison to the death of any other Wrecker. If Wheeljack were to be the Samurai persona he appears to be, he might collaborate with Prime in the interim whilst gunning for Hardshell, in the name of vengeance, but to do that he must learn that Hardshell is essentially the one who killed Bulkhead. Otherwise I don't see a motive for him to join team: Prime unconditionally.

Of course, this whole scenario might be intended to make Miko a grizzled old veteran Wrecker who has lost multiple Autobot Wrecker partners over the years. Remember the chick in the Alien versus Predator comics who leaves with broken-Tusk and his clan and becomes not only a fully fledged hunt member but also a degree of veteran?

More hypothesis, of course...

"Everyone has a hobby.Even people who say they don't still have one under another name.If we're sick,injured, we still go to it and get down to see how it is.If it needs something, we bring it,make sure the attention is perfect.It exercises our care and protection and gives us back philosophies.It's a living thing to us,and is the most perfect way to teach a young person how to be towards a living thing. It's something that should never be taken away." -my Wife